Lake with Rowboat

"Lake with Rowboat" by Berthe Morisot, executed in 1888, is a delicate and expressive example of the artist’s work in graphic media. This print utilizes the technically demanding medium of drypoint on laid paper, a process Morisot explored extensively during the late 1870s and 1880s. Drypoint involves scratching directly onto the copper plate, creating a burr of metal that, when printed, produces characteristically soft, velvety lines. This technique lent itself well to Morisot’s Impressionist goals, allowing for an immediacy and spontaneity often associated with sketching.

As a central figure in the French Impressionist movement, Morisot focused primarily on intimate scenes, often featuring women, children, and domestic or leisure settings. While renowned for her oil paintings and watercolors, her foray into printmaking during the period 1876 to 1900 allowed her to refine her compositional studies and explore the effects of light and reflection through line alone. The subject matter implied by the title, centered on a vessel and water, captures the ephemeral atmosphere of a day spent by the lake, emphasizing soft focus and fluid movement rather than sharp definition.

Morisot’s prints are distinguished by their economy of line and sensitivity, revealing her dedication to drawing. This piece stands as a powerful example of how the artist translated the quick, perceptive vision required for plein air painting into a monochrome medium. It demonstrates her mastery of drypoint, which allowed her to achieve remarkable subtlety despite the inherent difficulty of the process.

This notable work, classified among the most important prints created by the artist, currently resides in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Due to the historical nature and significance of this work, high-quality images of this French masterwork are frequently available through public domain archives.